Archiv für den Monat: März 2012

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Do you like pancakes? As an American you almost have to… Here´s a plate that makes it much easier to enjoy them.

In his quest to create the perfect plate for devouring pancakes, designer Jon Wye broke down the elements of what makes a pillowy stack so comforting. After a lifelong love affair with breakfast, Wye pin-pointed the crux of satisfaction: syrup.

Designed with a raised edge that gently slopes the plate toward the diner and an ingenious reservoir for pooling loose syrup, this plate was made for slicing, dipping and delighting in each bite of pancake goodness. But the best part? This plate enhances any saucy dish down to the last drop.

„Standard Time is a performance lasting exactly 24 hours and recorded on film. However, this film is much more than just the recording of an action, the recording of something that has taken place in the past; it is also a clock. A clock for use right now and in the future which, as each day goes by, extends further into the past, but is still up-to-date and punctual”, says Mark Formanek, who came up with the idea for the artwork.

As you can see all together 70 workers are building a wooden 4 x 12 m „digital“ time display in real time: a work that involves 1611 changes within a 24 hour period. What an innovative idea! And that´s not only our thought.

Remember we told you that we were at the Ambiente in Frankfurt, Germany and that we presentend some of our exclusive products? The Berlin Standard Time, for which we have the exclusive distribution rights in Austria, was one of them.

And guess who stopped by at our stand and was faszinated about the artwork. The head of Fred & Friends, Mr. Fred himself! So chances are good that the Berlin Standard Time will soon be also part of his product line.

As the press agency Reuters announced today, the Indian Patent Office yesterday effectively ended German drugmacker Bayer’s monopoly for its Nexavar drug and issued its first-ever compulsory license allowing local generic maker Natco Pharma to make and sell the drug cheaply in India.

It is only the second time a nation has issued a compulsory license for a cancer drug after Thailand did so on four drugs between 2006 and 2008, also on affordability grounds.

„This could well be the first of many compulsory rulings here,“ said Gopakumar G. Nair, head of patent law firm Gopakumar Nair Associates and former president of the Indian Drug Manufacturers‘ Association. „Global pharmaceutical manufacturers are likely to be worried as a result … given that the wording in India’s Patent Act that had been amended from ‚reasonably priced‘ to ‚reasonably affordable priced‘ has come into play now.“

The new wording is seen as a lower threshold for compulsory licenses, which can be issued under world trade rules by nations that deem major life-saving drugs to be too costly. The licenses allow them to authorize the local manufacture or importation of much cheaper, generic versions.

India has one of the world’s fastest-growing rates of HIV and heart disease is another big killer, but widespread poverty in Asia’s third-largest economy makes many non-generic drugs unaffordable for millions. Bayer’s Nexavar cancer drug costs around $5,500 a month in India, making it „not available to the public at a reasonably affordable price“, the patent office ruled.

Natco’s finance chief, Baskara Narayana, told Reuters that sales of the generic version of Nexavar, whose chemical name is sorafenib, were expected to be about 250 million to 300 million rupees ($5-6 million) a year once it is launched.

Bayer, which developed Nexavar with U.S. biotech firm Onyx Pharmaceuticals, said it was evaluating its options. „We are disappointed by the decision of the Patent Controller in India to grant a compulsory license for Nexavar,“ Bayer said in a statement. Tapan Ray, director general of the Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers of India, an industry group of multi-national drugmakers, said the Bayer ruling was disappointing. „The solution to helping patients with innovative medicines does not lie in breaking patents or denying patent rights to the innovators.“

Don´t you sometimes wish to see the world through children´s eyes? They see it from a different point of view. Much easier and jet still logical. At the same time children are very inventive and creative and have a lot of ideas. And they also have their own website to learn more about invention and creativity.

The inventive kids website has a playful, informative and engaging content. With the launch of the inventive kids blog, children can experience invention and innovation in “real time”. The blog aims to nurture the creative spirit in children and to provide helpful information to teachers and parents.

In celebration of its mission to recognize and foster invention, the US National Inventors Hall of Fame has announced its 2012 Inductees. According to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) the inventors to be honored this year created remarkable innovations that include the now ubiquitous laser printer commonly found in the workplace, the thin-film head technology that has contributed to the success of the disk drive industry, and the first statin which pioneered the class of drugs targeted at lowering cholesterol.

The National Inventors Hall of Fame annually accepts nominations for men and women whose work has changed society and improved the quality of life. The candidate’s invention must be covered by a United States patent, and the work must have had a major impact on society, the public welfare, and the progress of science and the useful arts. This year’s Induction ceremony will take place on May 2 at the historic Patent Office Building, now the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, in Washington, D.C.

All good things come from above, why not plants. Boskke, a company from New Zealand, shows how.

With its innovative design the Sky Planter defys gravity. The unique upside-down planter encourages abundant greenery at home and at work, without sacrificing floor space.

But how do you stop the soil from falling out?

According to the company a simple locking disc or ceramic collar fits around the stem of the plant and connects to the planter body with small tabs, much like a tea pot lid. A plastic mesh is also included that can be cut to fit around the plant stem and sit on top of the soil as added protection against soil falling.

Several years of testing found that a small amount of soil may initially fall out when the Sky Planter is first hung, but it will quickly compact and stabilise, say the inventors.

A porous ceramic reservoir sits at the top of the Sky Planter and connects with the soil. It’s filled through a small hole at the top of the planter and water is gradually released into the soil by diffusion. This means most of the water reaches the plant roots directly, reducing evaporation and conserving water.

Do you remember the long distance kiss-messenger we introduced you in February? Here is another innovative product for long-distance couples: The Pillow Talk.

The device for loved ones was created by Scottish designer Joanna Montgomery. As written on her blog Pillow Talk is a project aiming to connect long distance lovers.

Each person has a pillow for their bed and a ring sensor which they wear to sleep at night. The sensor wirelessly communicates with the other person’s pillow. When one person goes to bed, their lover’s pillow begins to glow softly to indicate their presence. Placing your head on the pillow allows you to hear the real-time heartbeat of your loved one. The result is an intimate interaction between two lovers, regardless of the distance between them.

The weekend is over and so is the Creativ Salzburg, Austria’s only trade fair for gifts, habitat accessories and lifestyle items. We had a great time and met a lot of retailers! Some of them were just flashed as they saw our innovative product line.